TARGET is still several weeks away from making its much-anticipated splash in the Canadian market, but after dipping its toe in last week, the ripples could turn into a tidal wave.

The Minneapolis-based retail giant has launched its own REDcards, a credit card and debit card that have arguably the clearest loyalty program in Canada. Simply hand it over and you won't receive any points or miles, you'll get an immediate five per cent discount on your purchase.

Even when the REDcards are being used at other retailers, customers earn Target gift cards.

John Winter, a Toronto-based retail analyst, said this shot across the bow will soon lead to a full-scale battle.

"I think it's going to be WW2 when Target opens up in a few weeks. There will be about 13 million square feet of Target suddenly opening across Canada, and that's going to cause a great fight between Target and Walmart, the Bay and Sears. It's going to be all-out war," he said.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/retail-war-predicted-when-target-invades-canada-192213471.html

Complete: Plans for a celebration are in the works as the exterior restoration of the city’s famed Dome Building is almost complete.

And, it’s expected that the overhaul of historic Display Building No. 2, inside and out, will prove cheaper than expected.

"Every stage of the project so far has come in significantly under budget," said Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba CEO Karen Oliver, who provided an update for the project on Wednesday.

Starting three years ago, the building at the Keystone Centre grounds was stabilized and the roof has been replaced.

Windows true to the original design have been installed and siding is now being put in place.

New metal for the roof is expected to be installed and there will be 16 flagpoles fixed to the structure to represent the original number that were on the building.

"We’ve seen some great pictures when it flew all the flags and it was very impressive," Oliver said.

Those flags should be flying, and the exterior finished, in time for a rededication ceremony scheduled for June 10, during the Manitoba Summer Fair.

That would effectively mark the 100th anniversary of the building which was originally formally opened in July of 1913.

It’s the last surviving building in Canada that was built between 1879 and 1913 as part of the federal Dominion Fairs program.

As such, it has national and provincial heritage status.

Work on the interior, which includes a new floor, is expected to take 18 months to two years.

It will house a learning centre with interactive displays intended to educate visiting families about agriculture.

It will also serve as the offices of five agricultural groups, including the Provincial Ex itself.

The entire cost of the restoration of the building was budgeted at $7.2 million. It’s to be funded through equal portions of fundraising, and provincial and federal funding.

Since the original design, plans for a mezzanine have been added to the project. That will include office space, a boardroom and an elevator.

But given some savings, the restoration is still expected to be within the original budget.

"We’re still confident that we will come in under the $7.2-million budget," Oliver said.

It was the volunteer project managers who managed to find savings, Oliver said.

For example, it was originally suggested that the building be raised to improve drainage.

Instead, project managers suggested digging around the building to improve drainage which saved an estimated $500,000, at least.

Savings have also been found in volunteering and gifts in kind.

Plans for a surrounding park are also going ahead, which include a wind turbine that will help power the building and reduce operating costs.

The building will also feature geothermal temperature control.

"It’s important that the building be sustainable into the future, and that we not be looking to the public in 10 years for assistance in operating the building," Oliver said. "So our plan all along has been to make it self-sufficient."

Plans for outside also include community garden, a playground, research crop plots, flower beds for horticultural therapy and a "heritage orchard."

The Keystone Centre will own the property and lease it to the Provincial Exhibition for a nominal annual lease.

The Provincial Exhibition will then manage and maintain the property.

http://www.brandonsun.com/local/dome-building-restoration-under-budget-oliver-says-192251691.html

Some theatre and event venues are opting out of the government-run ticket system, BoxOffice PEI, for the upcoming theatre season.

The service used to be offered for free to Island venues but the provincial government plans to change that. It's also charging patrons for the first time.

The new service fees would cost $0.25 per ticket or a $250 dollar annual fee for venues.

Patrons would see a charge of $1.50 per order for tickets under $20 and $3 dollars per order for tickets over $20 dollars.

The decision has some smaller venues like The Montgomery Theatre opting out and moving to another ticket service.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2013/02/20/pei-ticket-admin-fees-584.html

Complete: TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida's tourism marketing corporation is reporting a record 89.3 million visitors came to the state in 2012.

Officials said Monday that the number of visitors in Florida last year represented an increase of 2.3 per cent over 2011 when 87.3 million people visited.

Visit Florida, the state's marketing arm, estimated in its annual report that 10.2 million overseas visitors and 3.6 million Canadians came to the Sunshine State in 2012. The firms said tourism- and recreation-related taxable sales increased 6.9 per cent.

The agency reported the number of domestic visitors to Florida increased by 1.2 per cent while more than 20 million Floridians took vacations inside the state's borders.

Tourism is one of Florida's most important economic drivers with more than 1 million people employed in a variety of industry-related jobs.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/travel/florida-tourism-agency-reports-that-nearly-90-million-tourists-visit-sunshine-state-in-2012-191808801.html

Complete: SALEM, Ore. - Legislative sessions can be dull and boring, but Oregon lawmakers have moved to commemorate the humdrum — even if no one is quite sure how.

Based on their mundane names, the communities of Dull, Scotland, and Boring, Oregon, formed an international partnership last year to build cultural and commercial connections.

And Oregon House lawmakers took that a step further Wednesday, voting to make Aug. 9 Boring and Dull Day, putting the name of the U.S. town first despite mild objections from their European counterparts.

The plan, which now heads to the state Senate, is intended to boost tourism.

Republican Rep. Bill Kennener, the proposal's sponsor, announced the bill with a 10-minute speech, but never got around to saying what one might do in observance.

A fellow Republican, Rep. Kevin Cameron, later joked that he spotted an intern falling asleep during the address.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/travel/oregon-lawmakers-make-dull-and-boring-tourism-move-advance-bill-to-commemorate-mundane-names-192114331.html

(A complete article published originally in the WFP, Feb.  '51)

Strong opposition to the proposed amendment of the B. N. A. Act, whereby the Provinces would have the right to impose an indirect sales tax was expressed at a meeting of the Provincial Branch Canadian Association of Consumers Thursday at the Y. W. C. A.  Mrs. C. K. Newcrombe, provincial president, was in the chair.

The C. A. C. members were disturbed by the possibility of such tax powers as the hidden tax would affect those least equipped to pay.  Although a 3 per cent tax is suggested at the outset, there is the obvious danger that the tax might ultimately pyramid in an excessive amount it was pointed out.  Nor would it be limited to any particular commodity.  The already high cost of living would be boosted even higher members felt.

It was agreed at the meeting to forward to Premier Campbell as letter of commendation approving the announcement that the Province would take over rental controls when the Dominion has ceased so to do.